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LED spot light on bow rail
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Snider



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:58 pm    Post subject: Manual light Reply with quote

It seems to me a great compromise would be a manual mounted light like you see on police cars. It would mount on the roof and the handle would be just above your head so you could point it where you want. Anyone know where you could get something like that?

Edit:Something like this

http://www.grote.com/products/63921-par-46-hand-adjustable-spot-lamp-spot/

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thataway



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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Problem with light on the top of the cabin is the glare and flare from the foredeck and railings--they are enough to really kill the vision. Plus lights should be used very sparingly--and one needs to preserve the night vision.

If you only need the light to check position when at anchor--this works well--but so does a good hand held flashlight or spotlight.

Another option I have used is a low intensity "tractor utility light" mounted on a magnet so I can put it on the anchor--and just plug it into the 12 volt cig. plug when I need a light in front of the boat.

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Thataway
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Snider



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:28 am    Post subject: Good points Reply with quote

Good points about the glare. We’ve always been very protective of our night vision and have set up all of our other boats with red lights to run at night. In hindsight I think as sparingly as we’d use a spot, that a handheld one would be sufficient. Plus it would save a few holes in the boat. If we do have to use a white light at night while underway you can preserve a little night vision by just closing one eye.
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thataway



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:21 pm    Post subject: dark adaptation Reply with quote

Yes, closing one eye helps as does red light...but better to have no lights. (Military has used green, blue and purple at low levels also). Red is best.

When an eye is exposed to bright light one of the adaptions is for both pupils to constrict.. Even in the closed eye this will decrease the night vision. The main adaption is a chemical in the rods called "Rhodopsin". When exposed to light it takes 30 minutes to regenerate. Only a few seconds of white light deplete the Rhodopsin. One trick is to use only red lights (which we have done on our boats for many years), and the adaption back to full night vision then only takes 10 minutes or less. But even direct exposure to red light will cause some loss of night vision. Combat troops will often wear red goggles or remain only in the presence of red light, and then still adapt for 10 minutes before deployment. Certainly a dim red light is far better than any white light. We have 5 different red lights in the pilot house of our 22. Each of the fans in our bunk have a red light activated by remote switch. There is a 3 LED red light on a switch I can reach from the bun, which is high above the aft cabin door. One light shines on the table, on the galley counter and on the floor. We have a red chart light, and a red light right above the helm also. I keep a red/white flashlight at my bedside--both at home and on the boat. My primary red light is only one lumen. The secondary red is about 5 lumen. One lumen will seem like a lot of light when you are totally dark adapted.

Night vision is best used by looking to the side of an object and scanning. The cones which are primarily day vision are in the macula, or center of sharp vision. The rods are distributed thru out the rest of the eye, and the reason to look "off center" when gazing into the darkness. Even when using "night glass" binoculars, (Binoculars with large objective lenses--such as 7 x 50) you need to be looking off center to find the object you are looking for.
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hardee



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

starcrafttom wrote:
It's funny that one person can want one thing for a reason but another does not want it for the exact opposite reason. I tried the hand held spot lights and found then useless for anything other then looking out the side at a 90 degree to the boat. I could never hold my hand far enough out the window to not get glare off the anchor and bow rail when looking forward. Not to mention the only having one hand to drive while sticking my hand and some times head out the window. ....

its just funny that I got a rail light because of the problems of a hand held and you got a hand held because of the problems of a mounted light. Just goes to show that there is no perfect solution to any problem.


Tom, Ain't it great? We are all different, unique and ingenious? What's perfect for you might be perfect for someone else, but not for me, and vice a versa. I have used an LED handheld spot for a long time. IN fact, West Marine just exchanged my old one for a brand new one, 6 years after purchase, because the NM H battery is not holding a charge anymore.

This light:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--led-superspot-rechargeable-searchlight--16320061?recordNum=7



and yes it will glare on the shiny stuff BUT for a buck you can buy a can of Pringle chips, eat them and then cut out the end of the can and you have a really good light guide. Narrows the light beam down to about 10 degrees. It just fits over the business end of the spotlight, and "Wha Laaaa" No more glare. You can point that exactly where you want the light. I use that for anchor checks at night if I need the light. Works great.

Portable, rechargable on 12VDC or 110AC, virtually indestructible, and backed up by super customer service.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon


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Snider



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:35 pm    Post subject: Mini MkII Turbo Reply with quote

Speaking of lights. The best light I’ve bought ever is the little Mini Mk II Turbo. It’s about the size of your thumb and works great for a spot when you need it but don’t have your handheld. Plus since it’s so small it’s easy to just always carry in your pocket. It has several programs to choose from . The one I use can go from a very dim night light to a very strong light with two varying levels in between. In even has an SOS and strobe function. My wife liked it so much that she bought one for herself that she uses a lot. It’s also rechargeable. Just takes a little red film over the lens to turn it into a great night light.

Mini Turbo MK II https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078JMML9N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2qLZAbKZDB4SB
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thataway



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want to go to small pocket lights, the one I have been using for several years Has white beam from 1 lumen to 900 lumen (turbo) and the 1 lumen red. (Multiple white powers from 70 to 450). Impact resistant, submersible to 2 meters, very rugged construction. It does use rechargeable batteries or a CR123A 3 volt battery--so you had to have a charger (another $20), but I use that charger for a number of other batteries.

But I use a portable shaped beam, very similar to what Harvey uses at the helm of the boat. I also do have "docking" lights both fore and aft on the cabin top--but these are for coming into the dock--to illuminate the area around, as well as the deck and cockpit/water or beach aft of the boat.
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Marco Flamingo



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a remote control Golight and don't have much trouble with reflection off of the bow railing because of gaffer's tape. I put the tape on because the bright sun can reflect at just about any angle. Gaffer's tape on the back side of the rail doesn't show (except to me) and is simple to install.

Mark

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ssobol



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How durable is your gaffers tape?

I put some on my boat and it didn't last that long. It dries out and starts falling off. Maybe the environment you use it in is more benign.
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Snider



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:35 pm    Post subject: Docking lights Reply with quote

I’ve been also thinking about “docking” lights. Do you guys find them very useful?
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thataway



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't use docking lights often. There are also "docking lights" which recess into the hull, and are more like "headlights"...not a good idea to keep any white light on any more than a few moments unless actually docking.

I live on a fairly narrow bayou--and some moonless lights, I will use the docking lights to highlight any obstructions...usually there is enough skylight. When I get to the lift or dock, they illuminate the docking action.
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colbysmith



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've come across a few pontoons in the past year that thought they were driving a car. Had the white "headlights" on half way across the lake. Sorry folks, those are not proper navigation lights, and while they might be useful right at the dock, if you can't see where you are going using proper navigation procedures and gear, don't go out at night! OTOH, a single spotlight used judiciously to help dodge obstructions or find a channel is somewhat acceptable! Just don't shine it at other boats unless you are trying to blind them!
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ssobol



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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The problem I see with the usual installation of docking lights is that they are positioned much like car head lights. I find that when docking I am not as concerned with what is in front of me, but more what is to the sides (like the dock). Fixed lights shooting ahead don't seem that useful. I have considered putting lights (e.g. a fixed spreader light) on the edge of the cabin top that shoots to the side and down. However, most ramps and marinas are sufficiently lit IME that they are not really necessary.
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smckean (Tosca)



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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
you can buy a can of Pringle chips, eat them and then cut out the end of the can and you have a really good light guide...

Hardee,

I like this idea very much. Do you need to use the entire length of the Pringle can, or can it be shortened (I'm thinking of ease of storage).

And does the Pringle can fit nicely on the end of the West Marine hand-held light you highlighted?
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hardee



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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

smckean (Tosca) wrote:
Quote:
you can buy a can of Pringle chips, eat them and then cut out the end of the can and you have a really good light guide...

Hardee,

I like this idea very much. Do you need to use the entire length of the Pringle can, or can it be shortened (I'm thinking of ease of storage).

And does the Pringle can fit nicely on the end of the West Marine hand-held light you highlighted?


I played around with several versions. It was hard but yes, I ate the chips first Wink Had to to get the "raw" material. I tried lining the canister with aluminum foil. Bad = makes the light scatter decreasing the narrow beam. I used a half length = just makes a wider beam again. My favorite was the BBQ version, oh, and I left it full length. I liked that beam pattern best. I tried one with black paint inside the tube. Not a really appreciable improvement.

AND yes, it fits on the end of that light pictured (West Marine LED Super Spot) just right, snug and straight.

Harvey
SleepyCMoon

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